READ VERONICA’S
INSTAGRAM REFLECTIONS

Personal reflection can be a profound journey of self-discovery and introspection, offering us a chance to navigate the intricate landscapes of our thoughts and emotions. In today’s digital age, where social media often shapes our perspectives, it’s more important than ever to approach our online experiences with digital mindfulness and intention.

I extend a heartfelt welcome to you to be open to the power of personal reflection on my Instagram page. I understand the impact of social media on mental health, and have taken care to share reflections that aim to inspire, uplift, and promote well-being. Let’s embark on this mindful exploration together, recognizing the potential for personal growth while being mindful of the digital world’s influence on our mental health.

healingmindandheart

Dear one, you can't undo the past life events, exp

Dear one, you can't undo the past life events, experiences, and moments of darkness and chaos that changed you.

You may not like or understand who you are right now but you still have to choose to love yourself in order to evolve yourself for the better.

Love and acceptance of yourself is what will set you free if you choose and are willing.

Hating yourself and worrying takes up too much of your precious energy and steals your light.

You will reap better results in your life if you learn to love and forgive yourself and believe that you are enough, no matter the circumstances you've been faced with.

Become aware of your self talk, the way you speak to yourself. Speak to yourself the way you would to a child, a favorite pet or a good friend. Make little changes in the way you speak to yourself every moment, every day.

Focus on kind and loving thoughts and be gentle with yourself. We teach others how to love us by how we treat ourselves.

Where thoughts go, energy flows. This is the start of a new season, dear one. Change is necessary and natural just like the earth's seasons. Be open, allow, flow and trust. ~ Vero

@healingmindandheart

#ancientcedars #cedarforest #washingtonstate #natureishealing #trees #movement #hiking #natureismedicine🌿 #selftalk #selfhealers #mindfultherapist #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealth #neuroplasticity #rewireyourbrain #selfcompassion #briard #evolve #mindfulness #growthandcomfortdonotcoexist #girlsbestfriend #loyalcompanion #gordonsetter

There are times when we feel overwhelmed with our

There are times when we feel overwhelmed with our lives. Our nervous system is frozen and in shock.

Nothing makes any sense and we feel completely clueless, hopeless, lost and numb.

In times like these, you must ground yourself using simple everyday rituals.

From brushing your teeth to doing laundry to eating your food, drinking hot tea, walking in the sunshine, feeling the breeze on your skin and doing everything mindfully. Each moment, each breath can represent a different choice if we choose to.

These rituals can help you to find a sense of peace amidst chaos. You have to take back your life through changing micro habits.

Don't think about how you'll solve your problems or what's going to happen.

You don't have to analyze the meaning of life and your experiences. Ruminating is an addiction of the mind. The synapses that fire together wire together creating a default mechanism that can enslave you. You must break up the monotony.

For now, simply focus on releasing the thoughts that cause you pain. Everything we believe is a reflection, a mental construct of what we have chosen to believe about ourselves and the world.

We don't see the world as it is, we see the world as we are.

You have more control than you realize. You are a starseed alchemist and a transformer of destructive energy if you choose to. Sending love and light. ~ Vero

@healingmindandheart

#choices #freewill #nature #reflection #mirror #evolve #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #release #resolve #breath #mindfulness #healingmindandheart #mindfultherapist #conscious #breakingpatterns #defaultnetwork #mentalwellness #recover #addiction #rumimation #starseed #transformer #selfhealers

#california #sandiego #skyline #gratefulheart #arc

#california #sandiego #skyline #gratefulheart #architecture #mindfulmoments #sandiegobay #maritime #allthecolors #donttakeitforgranted #kindnessmatters #familytime

You have to let go of past hurts and regrets. You

You have to let go of past hurts and regrets.

You have to let it go at this moment, today. You have to let it go tomorrow.You have to let it go the day after tomorrow and the next.

Letting go of past hurts and regrets is an ongoing and continual process.

You have to choose love and light over fear and darkness - every single minute of every single day. Your fears, worries, and negative thinking patterns never take a day off. This is known as the negativity bias.

The negativity bias shows up every single day and tries to take up mental space in your mind and heart.

Whenever it comes knocking at your door, greet it and say hello, and then simply escort it out of your mind. Focus.

Get back to the present moment, be still and focus on your breath, your heartbeat and the good in your life.The simple gifts such as your warm bed, the cold, clean water you have to drink, holding and sipping a warm cup of coffee or tea, your eyes to see, the hands you have to hold and create, the warmth of the sun touching your skin, connecting with green and blue spaces.

Create space for stillness, growth, and moments of peace. Embrace hope. Children heal through imagination and we adults do too and we call it hope. Don't let go.

~ Vero

@healingmindandheart

#letgo #healing #negativitybias #stillness #growth #moments #peace #hope #imagination #greenspace #bluespace #simple #gifts #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealth #wellness #breath #mindfulness #mindfultherapist #selfhealers #traumarecovery #pause #love #light #darkness #dontletgo #clouds #river #mountains #pendorielleriver

"I think it's great that therapy and mental wellne

"I think it's great that therapy and mental wellness are part of the mainstream conversation. The more information we share and the more knowledge that is out there, the better.

It's important to understand that therapy is a tool. Like all things, it's *how* you use the tool that determines the outcome. Not everyone is going to therapy to self reflect, to own their role, or to gain more emotional tools. Some people are looking to be validated that others are the issue. Or, to just declare that they're in therapy.

It is not a magic fix. No therapist can make someone change their patterns- or even see them. The habits and patterns that happen every week outside of that hour are equally important. Without true dedication to doing the work, change doesn't happen.

Ideally, a person comes ready to learn new tools and break generational patterns. They're ready to face the discomfort, the shame, and they have the humility to be introspective. This takes courage and radical transformation happens."

@the.holistic.psychologist #nothingchangesifnothingchanges #mentalhealth #selfreflect #ownyourrole #tools #insight #growth #wellness #healingmindandheart #change #takingresponsibility

My maternal grandfather, Otis Lee was born in 1910

My maternal grandfather, Otis Lee was born in 1910 and he spent many hours tending lovingly to a garden every spring and summer. He loved connecting with the soil, the elements and visiting his community and family by sharing what he grew and harvested. Oh how I loved the melons he would deliver to our home, fresh cantaloupe and watermelon, this was his love language. He was a strong, tall and a very capable man who believed wholeheartedly in helping your fellow humans anyway you can. He modeled this for me and my siblings. Though he came from meager means he taught us that your word, actions and integrity aka your ethical character mean everything. He lived during an era where he experienced two devastating wars, WW1 & WW2 and he watched the whole economical system crash during the great depression. A big lesson he shared was to always be prepared for change and to be cautious of individuals and systems that believed in profit over people. I'm very appreciative of my grandfather, Otis and the many teachings that he passed and I have great respect for him. He wanted to ensure that I understood that what matters most in this life is how you treat your fellow human and that we need to take care of one another. Wow, can you believe all this came up this morning tending to the land and the garden? Thank you Grandpa ❤️ ~ Vero

#garden #humanity #systemchange #ethics #integrity #community #elements #ancestors #lessons #grandfather #gardeninspiration #inspiration #modeling #wisdom #peopleoverprofit #howyoutreatpeoplematters #healingmindandheart #heartfulliving #earthembodied #character #leadership #ittakesavillage #ww1 #ww2 #thegreatdepression

Don't let other people's projections and judgment

Don't let other people's projections and judgments make you bitter.

We all live in our own micro worlds, shaped by our unique perceptions, thoughts and experiences.

Whatever others say about you, all of that is a part of their world, their mental constructs, not yours.

Live your life for yourself, not for other people's validation.

Those people can never truly appreciate what it took for you to build the life you have right now.

Don't forget about fun dear one and celebrate how far you've come. Invite more positivity, healing, and loving light into your life.

Make sure negativity, self judgment or bitterness take up space in your precious life. ~ Vero

@healingmindandheart

#celebrate #liveyourlife #selflove #fun #earthembodied
#strength #selfawareness #clouds #washingtonstate #wakingup #life #mentalhealth #projection #spiritualjourney #traumarecovery #healingmindandheart #selfhealers #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalwellness #mentalconstructs #healing #transformation

You have transformed your pain into strength. Fall

You have transformed your pain into strength. Fall seven times, stand up eight.

You are making consistent progress in your healing journey. You are a fighter and you are strong.

Appreciate the lessons being offered to you to learn and grow. Breakdowns lead to break throughs.

Don't let a few moments of weakness convince you that you're stuck or that you can't ever find contentment and peace in your life.

Asking for help or allowing yourself to take a break are also signs of strength, courage and wisdom.

You don't have to prove anything to anyone.

Focus on taking care of your mind, body and soul first and foremost.

Very soon, you will find yourself in a much better place emotionally, physically and spiritually. ~ Vero

@healingmindandheart

#courage #strength #transformation
#leanintodiscomfort #growth #healing #askforhelp #humility #learninglessons
#progress #courage #wisdom #wellness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #mindbodyconnection #soulsjourney #soul #spiritual #breakthrough #breakdowns #breakthroughs #breakdownsleadtobreakthroughs

You are powerful and wise beyond your years. Do yo

You are powerful and wise beyond your years. Do you know how old the atoms in your body are? "Most of your body is made of hydrogen and oxygen bonded as molecules of water. That means your body is made up of atoms that are 13.7 billion years old.

The atoms in your body were created at the start of our universe. So if you look at it this way, then you’re about 13.7 billion years old.

But your body also has heavier elements like copper and zinc. These atoms were created in the dying stage of an exploding star called a supernova.

These elements were flung into space as dust and gas (stardust). Eventually, they coalesced to become part of a new forming solar system and our planet Earth.

Because you are made from matter from the Earth, you are made of stardust from old supernovas. So turns out, you are bits and pieces of star and cosmic dust." DNA, Cells and Organisms, Life Science - EarthHow✨💛🌟

#cosmic #stardust #flow #innatewisdom #trust #believe #powerful #mystery #river #washingtonstate #earthembodied #waterislife

Wow!! 👏🏼❤️ 74th annual Newport Rodeo in

Wow!! 👏🏼❤️ 74th annual Newport Rodeo in Newport, WA You can do anything you put your mind to. #rodeo #washingtonstate #prca #cowpeople #trickriding #bestrongandcourageous

Happy Father's Day to all those Papa's out there.

Happy Father's Day to all those Papa's out there. A big hug to those of you who had absent fathers or lost a father. Honoring the surrogate Papa's that stepped in and honoring those Mama's that served as Papa's too and we can't forget the fur baby Papa's #happyfathersday #honor #celebrate #gratitude #ittakesavillage #familysystems #community

A calm mind is a powerful and receptive mind. Th

A calm mind is a powerful and receptive mind.

The calmer you are, the greater your ability to attract peace, happiness and choose fulfillment in your life.

A calm mind allows you to see more clearly and connect with your core values and achieve a better perspective to deal with life's constant changes and ongoing difficulties.

A deep connection with the present moment is the key to a calm mind. You have a profound and powerful ripple that influences this world. Own the ripple inside and out. Don't be afraid of the internal and external process.

If peace resides in you, peace resides elsewhere in the world.

Practice separating yourself from your thoughts. You are not your thoughts. They are merely the storm clouds of the mind. Let the worries pass like the clouds in the sky, like the river that flows. You are fluid like water, don't cling. Let go. ~ Vero

@healingmindandheart

#mindfulness #belikewater #flow #letgo #nonattachment #values #redwoods #trail #twopaths #connection #mentalhealth #valuespurposelife #trusttheprocess #healing #santacruzmountains #mindfulnesstraining #mindfulnesstherapist #yournotalone #ittakesavillage #conscioustherapist #healingmindandheart #mindandheart #mentalhealtadvocate #wellness

"I've dedicated my life's work to understanding tr

"I've dedicated my life's work to understanding trauma and teaching people how to heal. I believe we have family systems and wider systems that create traumatic environments. These environments shape our personality, our self image, and how we relate to other people.

Unprocessed trauma puts people into survival mode. Life is lived in the defensive. In survival mode our nervous system is primed to protect us from threats. We struggle to have empathy, to collaborate, or to have higher patterns of thinking. Survival behaviors can be highly dysfunctional. They're learned by the coping mechanisms we witness from adults as children.

Trauma symptoms and responses come up most in interpersonal relationships. The more intimate and close the relationship, the more pronounced the responses.

In order to heal our trauma we need 2 main things:

1. Self compassion: I've had experiences that have led me to behaviors that keep me safe.

2. Self accountability: I am responsible for my responses-how they impact me and others.

It can feel incredibly infuriating to know we carry these behaviors from our past. We might feel angry or like we shouldn't have to deal with them, and that's valid. But as adults, we do need to deal with them. We do need to face the mirror. We do need to say: I didn't cause this, but I will learn healthier ways to cope with life around me.

When we engage in unsafe, hurtful, or dysfunctional behaviors *and we all engage in these behaviors* we can pause, reflect, forgive ourselves and commit to doing better.

We can be the adult our younger self needed.

We can build the healthy relationship few of us ever saw.

We can break the cycle of dysfunction by committing to learning, growing, and evolving beyond our primitive lizard brain.

We can say: I will live in safety and that safety starts with me" @the.holistic.psychologist

#mentalhealth #mentalhealtadvocate #wellness #growth #change #support #trauma

"Therapy can be an essential component of mental h

"Therapy can be an essential component of mental health.

But as most therapists will tell you, it's not the only essential component.

We also need:

-Financial stability

-Caring and connected community

-A sense of meaning and purpose

-The ability to forgive others and ourselves

-Physical health (as much as it is possible for us)

-Wonder and awe

Therapy can help you recognize these deficiencies in your life, but it can't meet all your needs."

~ Megan Cornish, LCSW

#mentalhealth #therapy #therapists #mentalwellness #mentalhealtadvocate #ittakesavillage #psychology #psychotherapy

YOU ARE LOVED. YOU ARE SEEN. YOU ARE SAFE HERE.

YOU ARE LOVED.

YOU ARE SEEN.

YOU ARE SAFE HERE.

YOU ARE NEEDED.

YOU ARE UNIQUE.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

YOU ARE YOU.

YOU ARE VALID.

YOU ARE HEARD.

YOU MATTER.

🏳️‍🌈🤘🏼

@healingmindandheart

#pride #lgbtqia2s+mentalhealth #lgbtqmentalhealth
#mentalhealthadvocate advocate #love #ittakesavillage #kindnessmatters #humanfamily #conscioustherapist #selfhealers #equality #inclusion #safespace #safety #beautiful #advocate #ally I'm

Happy Memorial Day! Remembering and honoring the c

Happy Memorial Day! Remembering and honoring the countless souls who have passed away that sacrificed their lives to protect this great nation and supported others. 💔🇺🇲 🌹

@healingmindandheart

#memorialday #honor #service #remember #military #protection #sacrifice #usa #respect #dedication #family #community #ittakesavillage #mourning #americanflag #rose #cemetery #gravesite

"Alcohol is how many generations have self-medicat

"Alcohol is how many generations have self-medicated.

It allows a person to not feel the discomfort in their body. To not hear the racing thoughts. And to numb the feelings of inadequacy and low self worth. It shuts down the central nervous system giving temporary relief.

Its use has caused so much generational destruction and dysfunction. So much abuse, violation, betrayal, and self harm.

Yet, turn on TV and we see marketing of beautiful people living glamorous lives with drinks in hand. We don't see the next day, the shame and regret that often comes with those "couple of drinks."

This marketing is deceptive by nature because it shows one side of the story.

Do we see this with other drugs? No.

Of course, many people can drink alcohol and be fine. They have a healthy relationship with it. And there's nothing wrong with having a drink.

But it's worth looking at how we're to see alcohol. As a "happy" hour at the end of the day. As celebration and socialization. And as a way to have fun. We're conditioned to believe it's harmless and that it can even be healthy at times."

It's worth asking:

1. What's my relationship with alcohol? How do I feel when I drink and don't drink?

2. Can I socialize without drinking?

3. Do I cope with stress through having a drink? Do members of my family?

4. Has alcohol historically been a coping mechanism within my family members? Are they able to deal with stress without it?

5. Did I witness my parents use alcohol to numb or avoid? Was it less of a celebration and more of a depressing event?

#selfhealers #mentalwellness #mentalhealth #vices #habits #awareness #sobercurios #bothsidesofthestory #marketing #copingmechanism #consciousness #evolution #self #insight #wakeup #loveyourself #healthandwellness #carcinogen #mediapersuasion

You're doing the best you can right now. Be patie

You're doing the best you can right now. Be patient and trust the process. ☘️

You don't have to force anything. Let go of the need to be in control. Let that shit go. 🪷

Keep an open mind and life will bring you opportunities to grow and get closer to what you want to achieve. What you're seeking is seeking you. 🌱

Keep working with the natural flow of life and making the most of what you do have. Hold space for gratitude. 🏞️

When everything is aligned and in flow, you will receive your desires and you will be completely ready for it. Trust. ✨

It will all happen in perfect timing. Get out of your own way. ~ Vero ♥️ @healingmindandheart

#trust #flowstate #flow #heartfulness #mindful #conscioustherapist #briard #gordonsetter #creek #forest #healingmindandheart #patience #mentalhealtadvocate #awareness #getoutofyourownway #california #mentalhealth #selfhealers #energy #frequency #mentalwellness #earthembodied

Embrace and nurture your inner child. Allow your

Embrace and nurture your inner child.

Allow yourself to do something silly and play every once in a while. Invite more joy, light and laughter into your life.

Try to experience life with a sense of wonder, awe and curiosity...Say yes more to new adventures.

Embracing a childlike spirit and connecting with your inner child allows you to get in touch with the magic of life.

You feel more inspired, and hopeful. Live your life fully and mindfully without worrying about the past or the future.

Children don't need much to be happy in life.

This childlike wonder will help you heal and restore your faith in the goodness of life and in yourself.

Let yourself get excited and giddy for the little moments in life. ~Vero ❤️ @healingmindandheart

#innerchild #wonder #curiosity #littlemoments #play #silly #childlikespirit #newadventures
#magic #joy #adventures #awe #rememberwhoyouare #mindfultherapist #healingmindandheart

"What was said to the rose that made it open was s

"What was said to the rose that made it open was said to me here in my chest." ~Rumi

@healingmindandheart

#rumi #elementals #rose #pollinator #youaretheearthembodied
#lifeforce #natureismymedicine🍄🍀🍁🌳🌰 #connection #magical #spring #consciousconnection #conscioustherapist #gratefulheart #mindfulobserver #pause #connected #healingmindandheart #selfhealers #mindfulthetherapist #relievestress #california #santacruzmountains

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